


Teaming with Emotions

by Rebricka



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Gimme some angara booty, Jaal x sara, Jaal's thighs are T H I C C, Oh there's definitely gonna be smut, a lot of laughing because why not, definitely some fluff too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 06:35:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebricka/pseuds/Rebricka
Summary: I'm doing that fanfic thing. Sara deals with stress, nightmares, falling for an alien in a new galaxy, and all sorts of stuff in between.





	1. Not knowing where I'm going

I stood at the vidcom/meeting room table and waited for everyone to gather. They always seemed to take their time, but today they hurried to meet the newest member of my ragtag crew. I still didn’t feel like a competent leader but at least they listened to me. After a few moments the crew was all together - everyone except Jaal. He was positioned quietly in the corner listening to us bicker about our next move. 

Suddenly Liam turned towards him, “Let’s hear what he has to say.” Jaal sat for a moment, simply staring toward the group. “Uh… are the translators broken?” Liam’s eyebrows were drawn closely together as he stared at him.

“They are not.” 

Jaal stood and made his way to the group table, slowly explaining the past few decades and the Angara’s plight. It was… strange to have an Angaran on board. I’m sure he felt strange being with us. We asked mostly straightforward questions and he answered them as they came. 

When everyone decided the meeting was over they just walked away. I flushed slightly and scratched the back of my head, “Uh… meeting adjourned. Good talk… guys.” Jaal turned towards me with a pitiful look so I waved at him awkwardly. He acknowledged my wave with a nod then retreated back to his room and shut the door behind him, leaving me completely alone.

I decided I wanted to ask him a couple more questions, maybe see if I could knock down some walls while I was at it. My omni-tool chimed and Drack’s voice exploded over comms, “If I don’t see every one of you Pyjaks down here for dinner I’ll shoot you myself.” I grinned, he was like the 1400 year old grandpa I never had. I figured Jaal might want someone to walk with so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I walked to his door and put my hand up to knock, as soon as I moved it slid open with a loud hiss. I yelped and jumped back, putting my hands up defensively… if I was in a bad karate movie anyway. Jaal’s face contorted as he tried to stifle a laugh.

My face was instantly hot, I could tell it was turning beet red. “Oh! Uh… Hey Jaal.” I let out a nervous chuckle and lowered my arms, “Where you headed to? I can walk you.” He nodded and stepped out of the room with his arm outstretched, motioning for me to go first. 

When we got to the galley half the crew had already arrived, they were talking amongst each other and laughing loudly.

“Ah! Ryder come on in, I made some burgers.” Drack put a plate of rehydrated bread and meat in front of me that made my stomach do backflips. I looked at Jaal from the corner of my eye and he was as green as I’ve ever seen anyone. Ever. 

I grinned awkwardly, my self preservation kicking in, “Wow, Drack. These look…” 

He cut me off with a satisfied laugh, “I know, right! I’m glad you all like them.” He puffed out his chest and took another large bite out of his own meal. I picked up my plate and backed out of the room quietly, leaving Jaal to his own devices. 

When the door to my bedroom slid shut I let out a large breath, happy to finally have some time to myself. After working on a few E-mails and some paperwork, I felt a pang of hunger in my gut. Looking at the plate with my burger on it, I groaned and slid it into the trash. "Thanks Drack." I said with an apologetic smile.

“SAM? Do I still have some soup left over?” I had brought about a dozen cans of soup with me to Andromeda, another little touch of home I guess. I kept them in a foot locker underneath my desk and only ate one every few weeks. My cache was getting thinner and thinner every time I looked at it so I had SAM keep track of it.

“Yes, Sara.” I cheered quietly in my head, thankful that I could have something comforting. I picked up the ceramic bowl I use for my soup and headed to the galley, hoping everyone had cleared out by now. When the door slid open I breathed another sigh of relief, empty. I flicked the lights on and put my soup into the microwave, pulling up a chair to watch it cook. 

When it was finished warming up and I was sure everyone on the ship could smell it, I turned to enter my room. As soon as I fingered in the code to my door an idea struck me. I turned and began to make my way towards the top half of the ship, it was awkward trying to hold a bowl of piping hot soup and climb a ladder with one hand... but I think I made it work. 

After a few frustrating and terrifying moments I was able to set the soup down and climb the rest of the way safely. When both of my feet were firmly on the ground, I picked up the soup and made my way toward Jaal’s room. “They _really_ need to install stairs on ‘top-of-the-line starships’.” I said with a scowl. 

I knocked lightly on his door and waited a few moments, “Yes?” Was the only thing he said as the door slid open. I could see his brow lower in confusion when he noticed I was holding something, “What is that?”

“Oh this?" I raised the bowl, "It’s soup.” He shrugged, maybe it didn’t translate? “Basically flavored water with different meats and vegetables in it.” 

“That sounds similar to a dish the Angara make, however it is only eaten at funerals.” My gut dropped, waves of embarrassment and shame made me feel like I was dipping my head into boiling lava. His face was slightly contorted and his frown was a little too… frown-y. 

My eyes narrowed suspiciously, “You’re joking, aren’t you?” When he smiled and didn’t respond I sat next to him, punching him lightly on the shoulder. “Would you like to try some?” 

He looked at me, his eyes wide with surprise, “I don’t see why not…” I passed him the bowl and he gently picked up the spoon, smelling the soup with purpose. I had to stop him from burning himself when he tried to pop the spoon into his mouth.

“Wait you might wanna blow on it, I just made it.” He grinned slightly then pursed his lips and blew lightly on the steaming spoon. 

When he was satisfied with the temperature he put the spoon into his mouth. His pupils expanded… like a cat? I stifled a laugh and let him finish his spoonful, “Sara, this is delicious! What is in it?” I blinked, he just called me Sara. When I realized he was waiting for an answer, I snapped out of my daze.

“Oh… uh, it’s some beef and potatoes.” Jaal frowned and asked me what beef and potatoes are. When I explained, he frowned then asked about cows and farms. We spoke for hours, eventually sitting shoulder to shoulder as I showed him farming vids. 

Eventually he turned towards me, “Ryder I… enjoy speaking with you. Your people are interesting… you are interesting.” My cheeks instantly started burning, I turned away from him, embarrassed. I could feel him situating himself next to me, then I felt his hand on my cheek, turning me toward him. 

He put his forefinger under my chin and stared at me intently, “I trust you... Sara.” 

I stared back, my chest tightening and head spinning, “I trust you too, Jaal.” He gazed at me for a long time. I mean it was probably only a few seconds but damn it felt like hours.

He abruptly stood and the moment was over. “Come, it’s late. You should go to bed.” He stretched his hand toward me and helped me up. “Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.” He stood in his doorway as I left, the smell of soup still lingered in his room.

I layed in bed quietly, thinking about the day. When I thought of Jaal, I smiled… he seemed like an awesome guy. Then I fell asleep, the thoughts of the big pink Angaran still clouding my mind. 

A couple of weeks passed, Jaal was still with us and today our mission to rescue Moshae Sjefa from Voeld was coming full circle. He’d been antsy the entire way there, pacing from one end of the Tempest to the other. When we finally arrived I was afraid he was going to tear out a bulkhead just trying to get off the ship.

Getting to the camp from the Tempest was horrible. If the temperature wasn’t hurting your face, the snow and the wind were. I always wore a sweatshirt underneath my armor but when I was on Voeld, I squeezed an extra one on for good measure. 

“Ryder, what’s our ETA to the Nomad?” Liam was shouting over the roar of the wind and I could still barely hear him.

“SAM’s guessing five minutes!” The forward station had been dropped on our last visit here, but we still had to trudge through a mile of snow to get to it. Heating lamps were few and far in between and our environmental shields could only withstand so much. By the time we made it to the Nomad, my lungs were burning and my legs felt like they were going to fall off, sprinting a mile through a foot of snow really took it’s toll.

After a couple more yards, Liam piped up again, “Why do we always have to go to worlds that have weather that wants to hurt us? I mean, why can’t we just stick to planets like Aya?” 

“There _aren’t_ any planets like Aya.” Jaal retorted.

I laughed at how matter-of-fact his voice sounded, “Jaal’s got you there, Liam. I’ve never seen anything like Aya before.” 

“I didn’t mean there were planets _just_ like Aya, I meant liveable.” His comm cut out and I could see him checking his omni-tool, “This wind is gusting at 100 kph! Pair that with the temperature and I’d rather be on Elaaden!” 

I slowed and responded, “Cold beats warm in my experience, you can only take so much off if you’re hot!” Liam snorted a laugh and nodded. 

We were silent for another few moments, “Sorry I can’t stand awkward silences.” Jaal groaned and turned toward Liam, “So Jaal, how long have you known the Moshae?” 

It took him a couple seconds to answer, finally he sighed deeply, “My entire life. She is the center of our community, the one who lights our days with wisdom and knowledge. She was… is my teacher, my friend.”

“Oh cool, so you’ve known her for awhile.” 

Jaal grunted, I could tell he was more than a little annoyed, “Yes.” 

The rest of the trip consisted of Liam asking Jaal questions about Angaran culture. I listened in, because in all honesty I was curious too. Jaal actually asked a couple questions in return, although they weren’t as rapid fire as Liam’s.

We climbed a steep hill and saw red lights in the distance, “Finally!” Liam cheered and ran forward at a jog, leaving Jaal and me alone to walk together. 

“Does it bug you when Liam asks you so many questions? Because if it does I can talk to him about it.” I was genuinely worried that Jaal was annoyed enough to leave.

He stopped and turned toward me, grabbing my shoulder with a large hand, “I won’t leave if that’s what you’re asking.” A small smile crept onto my face and I shrugged Jaal’s hand off, “Besides, I ask him questions when we’re not on missions.” 

“What kind of stuff do you ask him?”

He laughed, “He answered all he knew about hair.” I raised one of my eyebrows in response, confused as to why he’d ask about hair.

“Wait... why hair?” 

“Angara don’t have it… it’s strange. Hair is merely dead cells that grow out of your head, yet your people cherish it.” He shrugged, “You are the only race from the Milky Way with hair like that. I don’t notice PeeBee or Dr. Lexi fretting over their… uh, heads.” 

I frowned and furrowed my brow, realizing he was right. After another minute of walking, we were at the camp. When I saw Angara rushing around with weapons brandished I knew the fun had only just started.

The ride back to the Tempest was quiet and uncomfortable. I glanced in Jaal's direction more than once, he was sitting still, staring at the floor with a look of utter devastation on his face. Once on board the ship I knew I had to contact the Nexus to update Tann.

"Hey Liam do you mind grabbing Jaal for me? We need to brief Tann on the mission." He nodded and in a minute or two brought Jaal back to the vidcom table. His eyes were sad, the colors muted and flat. I wanted to reach out to him, show him that he had someone there for him.

Instead I talked, "I'm sorry, Jaal. We need to discuss the mission with Tann." He nodded and sighed, clasping his hands behind his back and standing up straight. I called Tann and he quickly picked up, his chirpy voice filling the space around us.

"Ryder."

"Director Tann, I'm calling you with my team from the Kett facility. You requested an update?"

"Ah yes, I'm expecting a report as well." He blinked slowly and cleared his throat, signaling me to begin.

“When we arrived at the Angaran camp, we were briefed on the situation and quickly brought to the Kett facility.” I sighed and turned towards Jaal, “The fight through the facility was long and brutal, pair that with invisible dog monsters and it was downright impossible. Eventually the Resistance fighters wanted to branch off, act as a distraction… so I let them. We found out some pretty... disturbing things while we were there. The details will be included in my report."

Tann pinched the bridge of his nose, “And the Moshae?” 

“She is under Dr. Lexi’s care.” Jaal obviously doesn’t like Tann. Every time they talked I laughed a bit inside, it was like watching kids try to behave.

“Thank you for the update… Jaal.” He narrowed his eyes and turned his focus back to me, “I’ll be expecting your report, Ryder. Tann out.” 

Facing Jaal I smiled supportively, “Are you alright?” He placed his hand on my face, his eyes large and mourning. 

“I am not.” Then he lowered his hand and left.

I sagged slightly and watched Jaal walk down the ramp toward his room. I understood that he needed the time alone but right now all I wanted was to be near him. Sighing, I walked to my own room and plopped down on the bed, wishing the fight was over. 

_“Sara!” I looked around, my vision was blurry and my head was pounding like a drum. Dad? “Sara!” This time it was more insistent, definitely dad’s voice. I tried to sit up and realized I couldn’t move… or breathe. Panic rose in my chest like a tidal wave, why couldn’t I breathe? My hand raised to my helmet and was met with jagged glass. I gasped and pulled at my helmet, trying vainly to get it off of me._

_A shape approached me slowly, I could hear it calling my name but it felt like everything was in slow motion. Dad? He wouldn’t stop saying my name, why wouldn’t he stop?_

_“Sara!” Step. “Sara!” Step. “Sara!” It seemed to take him years just to get to me._

_After a long while he was close enough that I could make out his face. Dread ripped through me, the icy talons of fear and dismay raked my heart and burned my already collapsing chest. It was his armor but… not his face. A Kett glared at me through the dark glass of dad’s helmet, it’s eyes slits of hatred and malice. It grinned, brought up it’s fist, then my world went black._

_“No!” A man screamed and my world lit up again, I gasped, my lungs filling with fresh air. I looked around and recognized my surroundings, I was back in the Kett base. Silent weeping attracted my attention and I turned toward the source. Jaal was kneeling on the ground, his back heaving._

_Hunched over, Jaal looked toward me, tears streaming down his face. “How many have I killed without knowing?” He looked back to the corpse, “Ryder, I did not know.” I reached for him yet no matter how hard I tried, he was always too far to touch. Pity and disgust welled up in my chest and tears began to cloud my vision._

_A Kett walked behind Jaal and lifted its arms, holding dual syringes. I tried to scream, to warn him, yet nothing came out. There was a sickening squish as the syringes pierced their target. Jaal began to convulse and scream in pain, his back contorting into unnatural positions. A shadow spread from the new Kett, making it’s way toward me._

_Fat tears rolled down my face, I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. A scream caught behind tissue paper._

_A new voice pierced the hazy silence, “Sara you must calm down, your heart rate is abnormally high.”_

“Sara.” 

I gasped and sat up, clutching at my chest. “Pathfinder, are you alright?” I breathed out slowly and felt my heart rate steadily return to normal. Lowering my eyes, I looked for the sound of the voice, expecting it to be Lexi.

I had a half second of panic when I didn’t see anyone, then realized it was SAM’s voice when he chirped back to life. “You are exhibiting signs of severe stress, would you like me to call Dr. T’Perro?” I sat for a moment, my hand still on my chest.

“No, SAM… thanks though.” I stood and walked out of my room, needing to get away from... whatever that was. The galley was empty so I sat in there with a glass of water, trying to forget the nightmare I just had. I jumped when the door slid open, Jaal walked in… shirtless. He noticed me sitting at the table and raised his eyebrows.

“Mornin’ Jaal.” 

“Sara are you alright? Your color is… off.” He sat next to me with a concerned look on his face. When I didn’t say anything he used the back of his hand to move the hair out of my face, “What is the matter?”

Fresh tears threatened to fall when I opened my mouth to speak. My throat collapsed and I had to swallow hard to get around the bulge. “Just bad dreams.” 

“I don’t understand why you choose to hide your emotions, but I am here for you,” He stood, bringing my cup with him, “As is the rest of the crew.” I heard the faucet turn on and soon Jaal returned with my freshly filled cup. He sat next to me tenderly, like a wall between me and my nightmares. After a few minutes his shoulder became a pillow as I drifted to a dreamless, yet peaceful, sleep.

My alarm trilled and I woke up with a start. I was in my bed? I furrowed my brow and got up slowly. I changed and practically ran to Jaal’s room. I stood in front of the door for a few seconds to even out my breathing, then knocked.

I heard some scrambling then clanging metal, and Jaal appeared in the doorway. “Sara.” He was out of breath and I could see some pans and rods hanging precariously off the edge of his desk behind him. “What can I help you with?” 

“Mind if I come in?” He nodded and let me in. After surveying the scene of destruction that was his bedroom, I turned towards him and clasped my hands in front of me, “Thank you.”

He grinned, “Thank you.” I frowned and lowered my eyebrows in confusion, “What I mean by that is… Thank you for worrying for me.” He sighed deeply and gazed into my eyes, “You’re kind. I…” He frowned, his mouth becoming a small line, “Did you come here with anyone?” 

I shrugged, “Yeah of course I did.” My breathing hitched when I thought about dad. “My dad died they day we woke up…” Fresh tears sprung into my eyes and I sniffed quietly. “My brother is in a medically induced coma. I… I’m alone at the moment”

He stared at me intently, his pupils looked like slits, “I’m sorry. Were you close?” Tears began to fall freely now and my face began to burn with shame.

“I’m close to my brother… but my mom died before we left.” My heart became knotted, “I barely knew dad.” Jaal sighed and sat on his cot, patting the fabric invitingly for me to join him. When I sat, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. Swallowing, I maneuvered my face to look up toward his, “What about you?”

He smiled sadly, “I miss them.” Releasing me, he stood and retrieved a photo from his desk, “Our families are very large,” He turned the photo towards me with a small grin, “Everyone shares parents. We all have many mothers.” There must have been thirty Angara on the picture.  
“Wait this is your family?” I was dumbfounded at how many there were. 

He snorted a laugh, “Almost all of them. My father died when I was young.” I sniffled and smiled at him supportively when he sat back down.

“Well…” I wiped my nose with the back of my sleeve, “This group of Tempest oddballs really feels like family sometimes.”

“Yeah… well,” He put his arm around me again, drawing me into his chest, “I’ve never really felt like I was put in this life for a reason… but here,” He placed his chin on top of my head and sighed, “When I’m here I believe I was wrong.”

I furrowed my brow, “What about the Resistance? I mean… you’re Evfra’s top lieutenant!”

“My place in the Resistance is… not what I would like.”

He released me gently and I looked into his eyes, “But that kid on Aya looked up to you. You were like a superhero or something.” 

He raised an eyebrow, “Whatever that is, you’re going to do amazing things, Sara. I can feel it,” I smiled at him, my cheeks heating, “This is where I’m meant to be.”

I could feel my blush darkening as I spoke, “I like having you around.” He stared at me, his pupils grew a bit so I suppressed a laugh and finished, “Specifically you.” He blinked slowly, seemingly processing what I had said.

After a moment he spoke, “For my skill, and knowledge?”

I frowned, of course that’s what he thinks. Then I responded without thinking, “Not really.”

He sighed with a small smile and I swear his cheeks got a little darker, “Because you enjoy being around me,” His words were smooth and gentle, yet forceful, “As much as I enjoy being around you.”

“You do?” The question filled the air of the small cabin like a resonating note. He blinked slowly and continued to stare into my eyes.

“Yes. You’re fascinating. And special…” He paused and his smile grew, averting his gaze, he finished. “And strange.” 

I grinned, my heart practically leaping out of my throat, “I think you are too.”

He frowned, his face turning serious. “And I mean it.”


	2. Armor time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sara deals with a creep, Jaal starts to get protective, and Liam has a little surprise in store.

“SAM can you get Jaal for me?” I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand and suppressed a yawn.

“Of course, Pathfinder.” 

After a few minutes I heard a light knocking on my door, “Hey Jaal, come on in.” The door slid open slowly with a hiss and he stepped in, greeting me warmly. “Sorry to wake you up so early but we’re at Aya, thought you might wanna be the first to know.” He nodded and turned to leave, but stopped abruptly.

“Sara, have you been to bed yet?” The concern in his voice was so thick I could almost feel it.

I hesitated, “No... I’ve been too busy handling paperwork and answering E-mails.” I stretched, my back popping satisfyingly against the chair. “Everyone who heard we rescued the Moshae seems to have gotten my E-mail address.”

Jaal laughed quietly, “She is our most beloved public figure.” I leaned forward, putting my face in my hands, wishing I was asleep.

I felt a strong hand between my shoulder blades, and another on my elbow. I turned my head and Jaal’s eyes met mine, his pupils were expanded to almost twice their normal size. When I didn’t move he gently helped me stand, “Sara, come.” His voice was soft and caring.

I could feel my heart pounding as he walked me to my bed, “The Moshae will be happy to give you a few hours of rest before we land.” My head felt like it was going to explode as I pulled the covers over myself.

He turned to leave and I vomited out the craziest thing I’ve ever said, “Jaal, will you stay with me... please?” When he didn’t respond I felt like I had been punched in the gut, why would I say that?

All of a sudden the bed moved to one side, I peered over my blanket and saw Jaal sitting next to me. He was leaning against the headboard, looking at the ceiling. He had a small smile on his face when he finally closed his eyes.

“Yes Sara, I won’t leave your side.” 

“Will you tell me more about your family Jaal?” I could feel him shifting his body to get more comfortable, then he spoke quietly.

“Of course. I have a large family… larger than most, actually. We are,” He fumbled for words, “ _historically_ a popular family. Many of my brothers and sisters are important to the Resistance.” 

I turned towards him and noticed he was still facing the ceiling. “You’re important too, Jaal.”

He smiled and opened his eyes, turning his gaze on me. His pupils expanded when he noticed I was looking at him and he quickly turned his head away. After a few moments he began to hum and it was beautiful and calming. My eyes began to tear up as I thought of the man sitting next to me for no reason other than to comfort me. I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, leaving Jaal and his beautiful melody behind.

_I fell to the ground with a gasp, the wind getting knocked out of me almost instantly. I laid there for a few seconds, confused, “What the hell?” My world turned again and I slid into the large window that dominated one side of my cabin._

_I could hear the ship creaking and groaning all around me, so I quickly fingered my Omni-tool to open a channel, “Kallo! What the fuck is happening?!” No response. “Kallo?” The ship tilted again, this time sending me flying forward, my head smacking into the metal floor._

_Stars erupted in my vision as I struggled to keep my eyes open. I groaned loudly and held my head tightly, willing the pain to go away. I stood shakily, trying to grab ahold of something before the ship tilted again._

_“Kallo!” Still no answer. “SAM? What’s going on?” When he, too, didn’t respond I started to freak out. I made my way slowly to the door that led out of my room, my hands running along the walls in case anything happened._

_I palmed open my door and grabbed the ladder that lead to the upper reaches of the Tempest, taking silent solace in the fact that I couldn’t be flung around anymore. The throbbing in my head only got worse as I climbed the short ladder. The ship groaned again and I held on for dear life, working my legs in between the rungs of the ladder._

_I heard a loud yell and a bang, “Motherfucker!” Drack was tumbling around the meeting room, shouting and cursing at the top of his lungs. It would have been hilarious if we weren’t in serious danger. When he teetered to a halt he spotted me, “Ryder! What the fuck is happening?!”_

_“That’s exactly what I said!” I climbed the rest of the ladder quickly, bracing myself against the wall in case the ship decided to throw me around again. “I’m going to the bridge to find out right now.”_

_I opened the door that led to the bridge and quickly realized why the ship was tumbling around. Kallo and Suvi were laying in a heap, their arms and legs splayed out and bloodied. The area around the Tempest was empty. Literally. I gasped and slowly made my way around the corpses, my eyes brimming with tears and a scream caught in my throat._

_We were back in darkspace._

_I could feel the ship threatening to tumble around again and ran to the controls, attempting vainly to gain some semblance of control. They were locked with some sort of code I didn’t recognize, and without SAM I couldn’t break it._

_A deep voice exploded over comms, shouting in a language I didn’t understand. “You sound angry buddy! Why are you doing this?!” No response. I laughed, frustrated, “Oh I am so done being ignored.” I ran toward PeeBee’s escape pod desperately, trying to find a way to maneuver my way out of this hell._

_Empty. “What the fuck?” Drack had finally made his way to the bridge, I could hear the door slide open and him breathing heavily behind me. I turned to face him and realized he was bleeding heavily from a large crack in the plate on his head. His eyes were glazed over and he looked like he was barely keeping himself upright._

_“Drack are you alright?” He nodded once then noticed Kallo and Suvi. He growled low in his chest and his brow lowered in anger. “Drack…” He turned toward me, his eyes now filled with rage. “Do you know what happened?”_

_He shook his head slowly, “No. But whoever it was, they killed Kallo and Suvi. They’re gonna pay.” I rushed to his side when he threatened to teeter over, grabbing him by his arm. He groaned and held his midsection, “They got me too.”_

_I used my Omni-tool and applied a thick layer of Medi-Gel onto his abdomen, “This should hold you over until we can get some real help. Have you seen Lexi?” He shook his head and put his hand over his wound again. I stood back and appraised him, knowing he was going to be alright… at least for now._

_“Alright, Drack I’m gonna figure out what happened, can you try to get the ship under control?” He nodded and slowly made his way to the helm. I turned and palmed open the door that led to the airlock, outfitting myself with a pistol and some extra Medi-Gel._

_The ship swayed dangerously from side to side as I made my way to the medbay. I had to find Lexi if Drack was going to make it. When I got to the medbay, the door was already open but it was completely empty. Every other room I tried on the bottom half of the ship was empty, but there were multicolored patches of blood every so often._

_After almost 15 minutes of careful looking and saving myself from a concussion from the ship’s abuse, I realized that my crew was simply gone. I opened a channel to let Drack know the news, “Hey Drack, I can’t find the crew… or Lexi.” Only static responded to me and I feared the worst._

_Suddenly the Tempest lurched forward hard enough to send me flying. I slammed into the glass bridge that connected the front of the ship with the rest of it. It shattered into small pieces and I landed on the floor with a sickening crunch. My vision started to become blurry as I laid there gasping and choking on the pain radiating from my back._

_The ship tilted again and I rolled into the wall, unable to move against the force of it. The same angry voice that assaulted me earlier piped up again, barking orders to me. I shouted, although it came out as barely a hoarse whisper, “What do you want?” Tears flowed freely from my bruising eyes, “What do you want…”_

_I heard loud stomping as I slowly faded in and out of consciousness. A sharp pain exploded from my ankle and I was lucid again. Kett crowded me, their eyes were ugly black slits as they glared at me. I could hear Drack shouting in the distance, he seemed miles away. He stopped after a loud gunshot echoed through the corridor._

_The Kett started to chuckle in unison, inching closer and closer to me with every passing second. Finally, a Kett wearing dad’s armor emerged from the group. It walked over me and raised its foot, grinning wickedly, then slammed it onto my face._

I screamed. _Loud_. When I finally stopped, I became aware of my surroundings. I was alone in my cabin with tears streaming down my face and sweat covering my body. I blinked the sleep and tears out of my eyes and rubbed them with the balls of my hands. My door slid open and Lexi rushed in, her eyes wide and panicked.

“Ryder! I came as soon as I heard you, are you alright?” I sat there, dazed and confused. Was that a dream?

“Lexi… I…” She shushed me and flashed a light into my eyes. I pushed her hand away, “It was just a nightmare!” She narrowed her eyes and looked into mine.

“SAM, will you forward a scan of the Pathfinder’s brain activity from her nap to my Omni-tool?”

“Yes, Dr. T’Perro.” Hearing his voice calmed me down immensely and I swallowed. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Her voice was soft and caring, her eyes were filled with pity. “I’m always here for you, Ryder.”

“Thanks doctor, I’ll be alright.” She looked at me concernedly and stood, letting herself out of my room. I sat forward, my hands laying on the bed between my legs. 

“SAM are you able to see my dreams?” 

“Yes, Pathfinder.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed them with my hands, “Is there anything you can do to help?” It took him a few moments to respond, but when he did he sounded… regretful?

“I have attempted multiple times to wake you, however your thalamus seems to overpower everything I do. I have not been able to narrow down the reason.” I sighed quietly and got out of bed. “However I have deduced that your dreams are due to intense levels of stress.”

“Thanks, SAM.” I said somewhat sarcastically.

A couple hours later, Jaal and Moshae Sjefa waited eagerly on the bridge for me, ready to return to Aya. As we descended, the Moshae had tears in her eyes as she talked happily to the crew, thanking them and saying her goodbyes. 

She turned to me and gave me a hug, “Thank you, Pathfinder.” She pulled back and placed her hand on my face, looking me in the eyes, “Thank you so much.” I cupped her cheek and smiled.

Once we landed, the Moshae reunited with the people of Aya in a grandeur display of love and heartwarming speech. Evfra stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed and a small smile on his otherwise brick of a face. After the Moshae left with her gaggle of compatriots, Evfra approached Jaal and me.

“Nice work, Jaal Ama Darav. Report back to HQ for reassignment.” My heart felt like it dropped to my feet and I turned to Jaal. His face showed exactly what I was feeling, devastation. I balled my hands into fists and turned to Evfra.

“Jaal is a valued member of my team.”

He lowered his brow, “ _Excuse me_?” The menacing tone in his voice wasn’t lost on me, “That _wasn’t_ a question.” I glared at him, mentally daring him to cause a scene. Jaal put his arm in front of me cautiously, passively warning me to step down.

He cleared his throat, causing Evfra to break the electrifying staring contest we had found ourselves in. “I would like to stay with the Pathfinder. She’s onto something that could change all of our lives.” He looked at me with a small smile, “She may be able to send the Kett away for good.”

Evfra glared at me for a few moments, then spoke. “Permission granted.” He turned toward Jaal and his face noticeably lightened, “Don’t make me regret this.” He then walked away, leaving Jaal and me alone to discuss our plans.

“Sara you almost got into a fistfight with the Resistance leader,” Jaal was laughing heartily, “You truly _are_ fearless!” I flushed and punched Jaal on the shoulder hard enough to make him sway slightly. He laughed even harder and put his hand on my shoulder, guiding me toward the marketplace.

“Where are we going?” I was slightly worried that Jaal was going to bring me to meet someone else I’d want to punch.

“I just need to pick up a few items.” I looked up at him, squinting against the bright sunlight. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back on the Tempest in an hour or so.” He winked at me and I felt like I was going to fall over. If my face could get any more red I would glow like a sun.

We stopped at a couple shops and Jaal picked up various fruits and a cut of meat I didn’t recognize. One of the store owners was particularly interested in me, “Hello human.” He was standing uncomfortably close and staring at me, his pupils almost complete circles. 

“Uh… hi!” I tried to be cheery to all the new Angara that I met so they knew they could trust me. Or at least so we could start off on the right foot. Jaal stared at him distrustfully, his pupils were so small they were basically lines in the middle of his eyes. The way that Angaran eyes behaved always left me dumbfounded. 

“You know, you’re the first human I have met up close.” He brushed my face with the back of his hand and I flinched away, confused and uncomfortable. He narrowed his large eyes and smiled, “I apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, human.”

“Her name is Ryder.” Jaal was practically fuming, but I wasn’t sure why.

“You are the one who saved the Moshae?” His smile turned into a lecherous grin and he grabbed one of my hands lightly, “I am in your debt.”

Jaal slapped his hands away, “ _Come_ , Sara. We really should get back to the Tempest.” I nodded quickly and turned to leave, ignoring the comments the man was sending my way. When we were far enough away, Jaal stopped me by putting his hands on my shoulders, “Did he harm you?”

I blinked, dumbfounded. “Wha…? No! You were there the whole time he didn’t do anything to me.” Jaal sighed deeply, relieved yet still worried. 

“He could have hurt you. Angara possess electromagnetic capabilities, he could have…” He closed his eyes tightly, “ _Damaged_ you... The thought of you being harmed...” His fingers began to dig into my shoulders and I yelped, prying him off of me.

Before he could say anything I put my finger on his mouth, “Come on, Jaal. You would have noticed if he hurt me. What’s really going on?” He looked at me in surprise, then sighed and turned away from me. 

“It would pain me to see anything bad happen to you.” He started walking, “Come. We really should get back to the ship.” I trailed him, worried.

When we got back to the ship, Jaal told me he had ‘business’ to conduct with Lexi so I went to talk to Liam. When I got to his room he was sitting on his couch watching a vid and laughing with Drack over the comms. When he spotted me he was mid-sip and choked on his beer.

“Drack, Ryder’s here, we’ll finish talkin’ later.” He muted his tv and turned his full attention onto me, “Ryder! How’s it goin’?”

“You sent me an E-mail?” He grinned wickedly, nodding his head. “Gonna tell me what it’s about?” 

“You’ll see. Just approve that request for me.” 

“Wait is that all you wanted me for?” I lowered my eyebrows in confusion and waited for him to respond. All he did was stare at me with a smile on his face. “O… kay.” I backed out of his room and went to the research station to approve his project. 

When I finally requisitioned the parts, I headed back down to his room to finally see what it was all about. It was empty when I got there, “Hello?” I knocked hard on the doorframe, “Hello?”

“How’s it goin’?” I yelped and jumped when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. “Woah! Sorry, Ryder. Didn’t mean to scare you.” Liam walked past me shirtless, holding a piece of armor.

“Wait... is this what I approved?” Suddenly Jaal appeared from behind me, holding an identical piece of armor.

“Hello, Sara.” I felt like my head was going to blow off when I realized Jaal was stark naked. 

“J… Jaal! Why are you naked?” He smiled at me and shrugged innocently. 

“This is an armor swap, Ryder.” Liam patted Jaal on the back and looked at him with his eyebrow raised, “Ready?”

Jaal nodded curtly and slapped Liam’s back, I grimaced at the noise the contact of skin on skin made. “Ready!” Liam wheezed out a small cry and handed Jaal his armor piece.

Liam started asking Jaal rapidfire questions, throwing caution to the wind. “So are your families large for social reasons or reproductive reasons?”

Jaal thought for a moment then grunted, “Social.”

“Do you have one central government or tons of little ones?”

“There is the Resistance and the main government on Aya, paired with local governments that monitor and control our home planets.”

Liam hummed quietly, trying to think of another question, “Do you have life partners or just flings to reproduce?” I could feel my face heat and I decided to put an end to this cultural escapade.

“Woah! Woah, I know how this is gonna end.” I crossed my arms and leaned back, “These questions are the kind that start fights.” 

Liam raised his eyebrow and laughed, “I’m asking the hard questions that the bureaucrats are too scared to.” I looked at him, disbelieving. “What? Jaal already went.”

“Yes. The pamphlets that the Nexus gave me leave... a lot out.” He faced Liam, “I apologize… did Sara not approve of this?” 

Liam punched Jaal and laughed heartily, “You little bitch! We _will_ finish this.” 

Jaal walked past me out of the room and I turned away from him, my face blushing to a deep red. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him smile as he walked quickly past me.

“Liam you better have a _good_ explanation.” I turned my gaze to him and stared at him critically.

“I just…” He sighed, “I want to understand their culture and I have such a good opportunity right here on the Tempest.” He shrugged, “Plus he’s my friend so we have to find out what we can and can’t give each other shit for.” 

I nodded, “Alright I understand where you’re coming from.”

“I promised I wouldn’t tell so I won’t be specific… but most of his questions were about someone you know really well.” I flushed and left Liam alone in his room, his giggles bleeding out into the rest of the ship. 

I walked to Jaal’s room to talk to him about what I’d just seen. When I got there his door was open and he was humming quietly to himself. “Hey Jaal.” He turned and smiled at me, stopping whatever he was working on.

“Hello, Sara what’s up?” He wiped his hands against his pants and placed his full attention onto me.

“I, uh, wanted to talk about what just happened.”

“Oh, that? Liam and I wanted to get to know each other better so he thought up the armor swap.” He grinned, obviously proud of his friend’s idea. “Or are you more worried about the state I was in when you saw me?”

I blushed again and nodded, “You definitely surprised me,” I put my hands behind my back and swayed slightly from side to side, “Is that normal for you?” 

He shook his head, laughing quietly, “No. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt because most of the crew is still on Aya.” He became silent then looked into my eyes, “I apologize if I made you uncomfortable, Sara.”

He cleared his throat and stood up straighter, “I never properly thanked you for rescuing the Moshae.”

I smiled, “We rescued the Moshae… And you dealt with a lot in the base. I know it’s been a few days but are you doing alright?” He shrugged his shoulder and sat on his cot. 

“I don’t know. I’m… in awe.” He sighed quietly, “I have yet to process it.” 

I walked to him and leaned against the wall, bracing myself with my shoulder. “My door is always open if you need to talk.” He stood, smiling thankfully at me. He stepped to me until we were face to face, then he hugged me.

My heart felt like it was going to shoot out of my throat. I closed my eyes and embraced him, holding onto him as though my life depended on it. Then he cleared his throat and stepped back, his pupils large and his mouth inches from mine. After what felt like hours, he took another step back and thanked me a final time, ending our quiet moment of solace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been writing nonstop for the past week so I hope you guys all like it!

**Author's Note:**

> I've got a whole lot written but I wanted to get my first chapter out there while I could! Thanks so much for reading and if you wanna see more leave a Kudos and/or comment!


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